.44 mag shoots high

[gregC.]

Hello , as this is my first 29-2 8 3/8 , i was a bit surprised that at 25 yds. it shoots 12" high , 240 SWC , 1040 FPS . Does this sound right ,rear sight all the way down helped some , what gives ? Do i need to see a pistolsmith or do i need to learn how to shoot this thing ?

 

[What the]

What type sight picture are you using? Were you shooting from a rested position?

 

[donadler]

Aim lower....

 

[gregC.]

Thanks a pant load donadler ! What the , sights alined front to rear squared and level target sitting on top of sight pic .

 

[gregC.]

Sorry, no rest ,off hand standing .

 

[aphelion]

Have you let anyone else shoot it to see if it is the same for them?

 

[six250]

Some of the Smiths came from the factory with a too low/short front sight. You can buy shorter rear sight blades from S&W....they come in various heights. Call and speak with them.

 

[beagleye]

Hotter loads?

I really don't know squat about 44 mag, but I know with my 38-44, mild loads shoot high, hotter loads hit lower at short (less than 50 yard) ranges. Seems backwards to me but it was advise I was given on this forum and it has sure enough proved true.

Also, how about a tighter higher grip, probably wouldn't account for more than a couple inches but it might help a little.

 

[arjay]

Yep,faster hits lower.Try shooting it with the butt ( not the barrel) off of a rest. A shorter sight blade is the answer if it isn't the shooter.1000 fps should be within the range of sight adjustment.

 

[TNDave]

Try loading a couple empties along with 4 live rounds. If your sight picture remains motionless and on target when you snap down on an empty your gun may be the culprit. If it moves when the hammer falls the trouble may be a loose trigger nut ;^) Really focus on that front sight.

 

[gregC.]

Thanks everyone ,i'll try one thing at a time , Greg

 

[zelda]

gregc-Try some delete

 

[M29since14]

Some of the Smiths came from the factory with a too low/short front sight. You can buy shorter rear sight blades from S&W....they come in various heights. Call and speak with them.

^^^^^ What he said.

Your "slow" load is not helping anything. The gun is meant to shoot a 240 at somewhere around 1400 FPS. But in my experience, 8-3/8" Model 29s were notorious for shooting high. The ones I have seen (guns from the '70s) usually could not be corrected with a .126" tall rear sight blade. They must have sighted those things in for 200-yard shooting, or something... ?

You can return it to S&W and see what they can do. (In the past, I had no luck with that! ) Alternatively, you can have someone pin in a new, taller front sight. You might get the thing to shoot POA-POI with some crazy load like a 180 gr JHP, but who wants to use something like that in a 44 Magnum...

Very annoying problem - particularly when the factory denies there even is a problem (like they used to) - but if your 8-inch gun does this and shoots nicely otherwise, it might be worth it to you to have a proper, pinned-in sight installed. They are nice guns and fun to shoot, but when the sights are that far off, it is really tough to get much enjoyment out of them.

 

[TAROMAN]

I have an 8-3/8" 29-2 and have shot all sorts of loads in it. There is plenty of adjustment in these.
As both the front and rear blades can be changed, it seems probable that this is what has been done to yours.
Just measured mine as close as I can.
Front is .230" and rear is .160" high.
Measure yours as a starting point.
I experienced the same problem once with a .22 that shot high.
In that case, someone had apparently swapped the rear sight blade, possibly for extreme long range shooting.

 

[chriss2760]

There's a lot of barrel time in one that long. To hit lower you've got to speed up the bullet. 25 yards is very short range. Push that target back to 75 (100 is better) and it will likely drop right in. 10" paper plates work nicely.

 

[MichiganScott]

I tried full velocity 180gr loads in my stock 8 3/8" 29-2 and couldn't zero at 25 yards because they struck too low. I ended up buying a different rear sight from Millett. You might contact S&W and look for a shorter rear blade or go the Millett route.

 

[diamonback68]

^^^^^ What he said.

Your "slow" load is not helping anything. The gun is meant to shoot a 240 at somewhere around 1400 FPS.

There's your answer. A whimpy 1040fps is way too slow for that long of a 8 3/8" barrel dwell time. Increase the speed of the load and the POI will come down. I wouldn't mess with the sights, totally unnecessary.